birth photography, lighting & books

This may be somewhat of an eclectic post. (The word "goulash" comes to mind.) First, I received a second inquiry about birth photography. My heart is drawn to capturing such a significant and intimate experience. Austin photographer Michelle Anderson has been gifted to do just that; click HERE to see a beautiful slideshow of her work.

It is such an honor to cross paths with couples and families at such important times in their lives - it is one of the things I love most about photography. I can only imagine how awesome it would be to capture new life. We'll have to see what happens...

I received a reflector for Mother's Day but hadn't yet put it to the ultimate test: harsh sunlight. That is, until yesterday.

After positioning Meeley with his back to the sun, I used my new toy to brighten things up. Had I not used a reflector, the image would have looked more like this:

Big difference. Can't wait to test it out further!

Stopped by Half Price Books today and picked up FOUR new books for a steal - Say Goodbye to Whining, Complaining, and Bad Attitudes... in You and Your Kids!, Grace-Based Parenting, Discerning the Voice of God, and Lunch Boxes and Snacks:

All I need now is a little down time :-)

FIRE!

Hung out with some friends tonight and had our first fire of the season. What a beautiful evening, despite the pesky June bugs.

my day was all that and a bag of chips

At least it started out that way. I met a couple of old friends at Nina's Cafe in St. Paul. You might recognize Ellen from our visit last May (has it really been THAT long?) - she and I had gotten reconnected in the Fall of 2007 after she stumbled upon the hubby's office in St. Paul. (We hadn't seen each other since Meeley was a baby!) The gal in the middle is my old friend and roommate Stacey; she is the reason I am a coffee addict drinker today. She introduced me to the social aspect of coffee - hanging out, venting, catching up, girl time, relaxing.

She and I also had The Best Apartment Ever.

When I left Nina's to pick up Ren from school, the sun was shining... birds were chirping... and I was driving my hubby's sweet ride. All was good. Until I was rear-ended, that is. (Did I mention I was in my hubby's car?) Plans for the day were curtailed. (Sorry for the delay again, Lori!)

Ren had an appointment with the ENT and surgery has been scheduled for next month. Looks like the tonsils and adenoids will be coming out. Our physician has repeatedly mentioned the painful recovery process. Repeatedly. I wasn't sure why until I read THIS. He obviously wants us to know exactly what we're in for.

Ick.

Looks like we have a beautiful day ahead... better hit the hay so I can wake up early to enjoy it. Have a great night.

no need to hurry

"Nothing takes God off guard. When we feel rushed and hurried to make a decision not rooted in a deep confidence of inner peace, God probably has not spoken. Nowhere in Scripture does God tell anyone to rush into making a decision. On the contrary, He patiently and persistently gives us clarity before requiring obedience. If you feel an overwhelming urge to act spontaneously, pull in the reins." -Priscilla Shirer (emphasis mine).

Obviously, the child was not traumatized by the ordeal.

We've been through this several times but never with appointments so close together and never with complaints of pain. After our last appointment, Ren (the boy an unusual high tolerance for pain) said it hurt when the dentist pulled out his bottom tooth. After having six pulled without complaint, that caught my attention. (That and his extreme anxiety over today's appointment.)

After bringing it up to the dentist, I was assured that he was indeed numb (they checked and rechecked) but the extra long roots might have played a part in the discomfort.

Gee, ya think?

The boy is doing well tonight. Recovered just enough to make it to his ENT appointment tomorrow. We're thinking the tonsils are next.

Can you say FUN? Okay, not so much.

Though I'm sure he'll find a way to make it so :-)

recognizing God's voice - how do you know when you're hearing from Him?

This is a subject that pulls at my heart. Perhaps it's because I went so long without it (not that I wasn't looking). For years it felt like something was missing. There were fun and happy moments, but in general I was dissatisfied with my life - trapped. I thought the answer was within myself - a better diet, a different job, a new outfit, a boyfriend, a husband, another child. Yet no matter what I did, it was never enough - feelings of peace and contentment were momentary and fleeting.

That is, until God got ahold of me.

Though I yearned to be free, I stubbornly refused to give up control. (Why couldn't God just help me with MY plan?) It wasn't until I willingly surrendered my plan to Him that things began to change. I didn't know His voice because I'd spent an entire life listening only to my own.

So, how do you know when you are hearing from God? I love the following quote from Jim Cymbala:

Two important prerequisites to hearing from God clearly are to have an open vertical relationship with the Lord and to be submitted to His plan for our lives. If there is unconfessed sin or continued disobedience in our lives, there will be a "closed heaven" above us and a disruption in hearing from the Lord. God cannot draw near to us while we are walking away from Him through disobedience at the same time.

We get to know God through His written word to us. His will never contradicts His Word. His way takes others into account. His direction is straightforward. (Sound familiar? Probably because of THIS POST.)

Think of a situation you're currently facing. Do you really want to know God's will regarding that situation? Do you really believe God already has a plan for you in that situation? Are you willing to submit your agenda to His? God wants to reveal Himself and His plans to you. Look around. Ask Him to open your eyes so you can see what He is already up to and then quickly join Him.

If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. John 12:16

my*funky*camera

My new camera strap. It probably would have worked better to take a picture BEFORE attaching it to my camera. In addition to looking cute, it's also soft and fuzzy on the inside (no more scratchy strap - yay!) - check out the wide array of neck and wrist straps HERE.

i think i'm in love

I've been searching for a high-end album to offer photography clients and have found it! The studio sample arrived today and it is everything I'd hoped it would be:

The leather cover is standard with upgrades available in a variety of colors (lime green, fuschia, and orange just to name a few):

And other add-on features available:

Here's a peek at the inside:

They are available in a number of sizes and standard colors. Guest books are also available and would work well for weddings or graduation open houses:

Prices vary but to give you an idea of cost, the 8x8 studio sample would be about $250 (price includes tax).

because I'm too lazy to upload new images I finally uploaded some new images

We had some friends over this weekend for a little social gathering. We sampled the Watermelon Salsa and it was delicious (heard from a friend that it rocks with Hint of Lime chips).

We took advantage of the lovely afternoon on Sunday and helped Grandma & Grandpa break in their pool for the season.

We are SOOOOO ready for summer.

Ren also had his very first sleepover and Meeley lost his very first molar. Our van is making a new noise. The motorcycle is fixed thanks to Dave. We purchased seedlings for the garden and hit the Sonic Happy Hour two times this weekend. I'm calling the ENT tomorrow to make another appointment for Ren and my Pacific Chai is finally back in stock. To top it all off, Sharon celebrated her 40th birthday yesterday!! Life. It's crazy sometimes.

I'm really, really, REALLY hoping for some down time this week and am really, really, REALLY hoping for some decent blogging time. Really.

Got a little one waiting to be tucked in... have a super night!

a few more...

Gotta have at least one Tina shot in the bunch ;-)

J & L | Minnesota Wedding Photographer

More to follow later.